Figure wheeled toy



March 17.1925. 7 1,529,859

. J. R. ANDERSON FIGURE WHEELED TOY Filed Feb. 27, 1922 Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFricE."

JOHN R. ANDERSON, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

FIGURE WHEELED TOY.

Application filed February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,388.

' vide a toy embodying one or more figures representing animal life which will be given proper movement during the motion of the toy to suggest some characteristic action of the living beings represented.

Another object of the invention is to equip such a toy with a rolling element or elements that will produce the bounding or saltatory movement characteristic of the movement of most animals. i

Other objects will become apparent as the description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing showing selected embodiments of the invention representing the best form of application of the principles now known to me. In said drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toy embodying a horse and rider;

. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a similar toy embodying a fowl; Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2; and Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7 are side elevations of various forms of wheels or rolling elements that may be used. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the toy includes a staff or handle 10, a wheel 11 journaled on an axle 12 carried by the staff, a horse 13 carrying a rider 14. and pivoted by the pint-le 15 to the staff, and a spring 16 fixed to the staff by a staple 17 and passing through the tail 18 of the horse. The horse and rider are cut from a single piece of board or the like, preferably three-ply veneer, and are painted to resemble the corresponding figures in animal life. When made in this manner a single screw 15 with a washer 20 is sufficient to make a free pivotal connection between the hind legs of the horse and the staff 10. In addition, the tail 18 is rigid and forms a convenient arm for co-action with, a spring 16 which passes through the tail an ha an an lar end ll? to p ent the tail from slipping off the spring when the horse revolves clockwise in Fig. 1. the arrangement shown, thetail 18 slides along the spring 16 when the horse revolves clockwise and resumes the position shown'in Fig. 1 upon reverse movement of the horse when the spring binds in the passage through the tailand acts to yieldingly resist further downward movement of the horses head and front legs.

As shown in Fig. 1,

which in rollingal'ong. the floor or ground will produce a forward and back and up and down movement of the pivot 15, resulting in the front end of the staff is mounted upon an eccentric wheel ll,

a bounding or saltatory movement that will cause the horse to rock about the pintle 15.

under the control and by the assistance of the spring 16. The up and-down and forward and back movement caused by the eccentric wheel is of such nature and 1s so timed with relation to the pivotal movement of the horse about the pintle 15 that the horse is given a motion strongly suggestive. of the motion of a naturalhorse n running.

staff equipped with a singleeccentric wheel, but it will be clear that where a more elaborate toy is desired the horse and rider may be-separately madeand suitably articulated.

the single wheel may be replaced. with various-forms of rolling supports without departing from the invention.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated the invention as applied to a toy embodying a fowl or bird. This construction also includes a staff 21, a wheel 22, and an axle23. On this staff is mounted a bird comprising a body 24 and pivoted wings 25. The body is conveniently made by sawing a design out of a board and including a head 26 and a tail 27 A screw or stud 28 passing through the staff enters the body piece at 29 in a position corresponding to the legs of the ordinary fowl. Suitable screws or nails connect the tail to the staff and with the screw 28 afford a rigid mounting for the body of the bird.

makes a torsional spring Which Will lie "close agamstth'e \vlngsand therefore'be 1nconspicuous while affordingsufficient metal:

to permit the desired movement and yet provide the spring and snap necessary to proper suggestion of the movement of a birds- Wings.

In this modification Ialso, the salt'atory movement causedby the eccent-ric'wheel produces the flapping of the Wings and is so timed With relation to the movement of'the Wings as to causethe entire bird to simulate the motion of a'livin 4 bird in flight.

In'Figs .4,.5, 6-an 7 Lhave shown different forms 'of 1 eccentric Wheels that will pro- ,duce'the desired saltatory movement. It is obvious,"however, that other forms of wheels will give'good results and I Wish it understood that these examples are illustrative'rather than limiting.

The embodiment-shot the invention here illustrated'are very simple and can be manufactured at a very small cost which will permit them to be sold at'a price that Will 'enablemerchants to givethem as favors to customers purchasing a certain quantity of goods or to sell them at :retail in thecus tomary manner. The same principles-can be embodied in more elaborate toys which 'Willme'et the requirements of other condi- =tionsth-at will Warrant-sale at higher prices.

-Heretofore, so far as I --a maivare, attempts to make toys simulating the "form and action of living animals haveincluded mechanical movements for positively giving motion to the figure or the movmgelements of the figure, These mechanical -means haveybeen expensive and have been 'acon- "'StRIItSOIII'CG' of dlfliculty and complaints. As

a result, such toys have "been expensive and unsatisfactory in service. With my inven- -otal support, to govern -on its pivot.

tion, the number of parts is reduced to a" very small minimum and the life-like mot1on of the figures is produced by the characteristic movement of the rolling support.

Furthermore, the moving figure or parts of the figure being free to move quickly and springily more closely copy the motion of living animals. v

I am aware that changes may be madein the form, construction and ar'rangementof the invention, as set forth in the selected embodiment herein, without departing from the scope orsacrificlng any of itsmaterial' advantages, and I therefore reserve tl16' 1'lght11 to make all such changes as fairly fall withm the scope of the following claims.

I claim y l. A toycomprising a stafharotary element pivoted to said staff and forming a rolling support therefor, a figure vpivotally supported entirelybyfisaid stafh means to give a movement to said figure about its pivot, and means-to give forW'ardand-back and up and down movement totsaid pivot.

2. A t'oy comprising a staff, a rotary element pivoted to said staff andflformingza rolling support therefor, a member pivotally supported entirely by said "staff, means to glve -movement to said member about its pivot, and means to give forward an d back and up and doWn movement tosaidpivot'.

3. A toy comprislng'astafi', a rotary-element pivoted to'said staff and forming a.

:rolling support therefor, a member pivot-- ally supported entirely by saidstaff, means -t0 give forward and backand up and down -movement to sa d figure-and a. sprmgcar- 'ried by said staffandengaging said memher, to govern movement thereof on [its pivot.

4:. A toy comprising a staff, a Wheel eccen- -tricallypivoted to one end. of said staff, a

member pivotally supported entirely by said staff, a spring carried by said staffand-en gaging said member at one side of its pivmovement thereof Jon-NR. ANDERSON. 

